State of Our Roads 2014

State of our Roads 2014

Department of State Growth Contents

Introduction 2 Inventory – The State Road Asset 3 Tasmanian State Road Hierarchy 4 Traffic – All Vehicles 5 Traffic – Trucks and Commercial Vehicles 7 Road Pavement Age 9 Road Seal Age 10 Bridge Age 11 Roughness of Sealed Roads 13 Rutting of Sealed Roads 15 Surface Cracking of Sealed Roads 17 Finance 19

State of our Roads Published November 2014

STATE OF OUR ROADS 2014 CONTENTS 1 Introduction

The State of our Roads 2014 report provides a summary of the condition of the State road network at a point in time. The report summarises data and trends relating to the condition, use and performance of the State road network.

State Road Strategic Direction This report isn’t intended to provide a description of the strategic and practical approach to the The Transport Infrastructure Services Division of management of the State road network or how the Department of State Growth is responsible Transport Infrastructure Services uses data in its for managing the State road network on behalf of decision making processes. the Minister for Infrastructure and is committed to Information relating to the strategic approach for providing efficient road infrastructure and services for development and maintenance of the network can be our customers and visitors that: found in the following documents: »» are as safe as reasonably possible; »»Tasmanian Infrastructure Strategy »» support economic growth through responsible »»State Roads Infrastructure Service Policy investment; and »»Tasmanian Road Safety Strategy 2007-2016 »» enhance the travelling experience for road users. »»State Road Hierarchy »»State Road Infrastructure Asset Management Policy »»State Roads Infrastructure Strategic Asset Management Plan

STATE OF OUR ROADS 2014 INTRODUCTION 2 Inventory The State Road Asset

Road Category (a) Road Length (b)(c) km Number of Structures Sealed Unsealed Total Culverts Bridges Other Total 1 454 0 454 166 174 25 365 2 428 0 428 76 51 1 128 3 725 0 725 133 162 1 296 4 853 0 853 90 119 0 209 5 1,025 248 1,273 123 118 1 242 Total 3,485 248 3,733 588 624 28 1,240

(a) Category 1 roads are the most strategically important grading to Category 5 roads which are the least strategically important. (b) Road Length is the distance in one direction (i.e. not considering dual carriageways or ramps). (c) Of the 3,733 kilometres of road length, 645 kilometres are located in urban areas and 3,088 kilometres are located in rural areas.

STATE OF OUR ROADS 2014 INVENTORY 3 Tasmanian State Road Hierarchy

Currie •

• Grassy Whitemark

Lady Barron

Stanley

Smithton

Marawah Wyny ard Gladstone Bridport • BURNIE George Town DEVONPORT Bell Bay Ridgley • Scottsdale Ulverstone Beaconsfield Latrobe Lilydale Ringarooma

Railton St Helens Sheffield

• Waratah LA UNCESTON Deloraine Savage River St Marys Mole Creek Longford Fingal Corinna Cradle Mountain

Rosebery Poatina Avoca Melba Siding Zeehan Bicheno Campbell Town Miena Ross Queenstown Derwent Swansea Strahan Bridge

Tarraleah Oatlands

Bothwell

Ouse Triabunna

Hamilton Orford

Campania Pontville Richmond Maydena New Sorell Strathgordon Norfolk • HOBART Dunalley Kingston Huonville

Nubeena Kettering Port A rthur Geeveston Cygnet

Alonnah

Southport

Tasmania has a road network covering approximately Category 1 - Trunk Roads 24,000 kilometres. The State road network consists Tasmania’s primary freight and passenger vehicle roads of 3,733 kilometres of these roads and comprises Category 2 - Regional Freight Roads Tasmania’s major regional roads for carrying the most important and heavily used transport heavy freight infrastructure in Tasmania. To plan and manage this Category 3 - Regional Access Roads network within a clear and strategic framework, The main access roads to Tasmania’s regions, carrying less heavy freight traffic than Regional Freight Roads Transport Infrastructure Services Category 4 - Feeder Roads has developed a five-tier hierarchy: State roads that provide connections between towns, major tourist destinations and industrial areas Category 5 - Other Roads The remainder of the State roads

STATE OF OUR ROADS 2014 HIERARCHY 4 Traffic All Vehicles

Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT) is a measure of the average number of vehicles using a section of road each day. AADT is based on periodic counts of all vehicle types on defined road segments having a relatively constant traffic volume along their lengths.

Main Features »» The State roads with the highest recorded levels of use in 2013 were: the Tasman Highway »» Between 2003 and 2013 the use of State roads (reaching a maximum of about 66,000 AADT has grown by 7.5% at an annual compound rate over the Tasman Bridge); the Brooker Highway of 0.7%. (about 52,000 AADT between Risdon Road »» In 2013 use was greatest on Category 1 roads. and the Domain Highway); the Southern Outlet This graded to least on Category 5 roads and Highway (34,000 AADT between Kingston and is consistent with the parameters used for Mt Nelson); and the East Tamar Highway (30,000 determining road classification. AADT at the Charles St Bridge). »» Between 2009 and 2013 most of the traffic »» Between 2003 and 2013, permanent road growth was on Category 1 roads while the other counters with large numerical increases in AADT categories have shown small fluctuations from were: Midland Highway near South Launceston year to year. (increase of about 6,000 AADT); the Tasman Highway near Cambridge Park (increase of about »»While most permanent traffic counters have 5,000 AADT); the Tasman Bridge (increase of recorded increases between 2003 and 2013, about 3,000 AADT); and the Bass Highway over some counters in rural areas have recorded Victoria Bridge in Devonport (increase of about decreases. 2,000 AADT).

STATE OF OUR ROADS 2014 TRAFFIC 5 Traffic All Vehicles

Stanley

Smithton

Marawah Wynyard Gladstone Bridport BURNIE George Town DEVONPORT Bell Bay Ridgley Scottsdale Ulverstone Beaconsfield Latrobe Lilydale Ringarooma

Railton St Helens Sheffield

Waratah LAUNCESTON Deloraine Savage River St Marys Mole Creek Longford Fingal Corinna Cradle Mountain Rosebery Poatina Avoca Melba Siding Zeehan Bicheno Campbell Town Miena Ross Queenstown Derwent Swansea Strahan Bridge

Tarraleah Oatlands

Bothwell

Ouse Triabunna

Hamilton Orford

Campania Pontville Richmond Maydena New Sorell Strathgordon Norfolk HOBART Dunalley Kingston Huonville Traffic 2013 (AADT) Nubeena Kettering 15,001 to 65,000 Geeveston Cygnet Port Arthur 10,001 to 15,000 Note: King Island and 5,001 to 10,000 Flinders Island are not 2,001 to 5,000 Alonnah 0 to 2,000 shown as data is not Southport regularly collected.

Average Traffic Volumes by Road Category Statewide Average Traffic Volumes

10000 3000 9000 2900

8000 2800 7000 2700

6000 2600

5000 2500 AADT AADT 4000 2400 3000 2300 2000 2200 1000 2100 0 2000 1 2 3 4 5 Road Category 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 STATE OF OUR ROADS 2014 TRAFFIC 6 »» Some of the factors causing the change in truck Traffic Trucks and and commercial vehicle numbers which have had Commercial Vehicles local and system-wide impacts are: » Decrease in woodchip exports; » Decrease in seaport throughput since the peak Vehicles are counted as trucks and commercial of 2004-05; when the wheel base has a length greater than 3.2m » Transfer of container handling from Bell Bay to between the axles or has more than 2 axles. Cars Burnie; towing trailers are excluded. » Rail decreasing its market share of heavy freight; The Average Annual Daily Truck Traffic (AADTT) » Changes in agricultural production, in particular is a measure of the average number of trucks and increases in milk and salmon production; commercial vehicles using a section of road each day. It does not indicate the carrying capacity of trucks or » Rationalisation of regional landfill at Copping the amount of freight carried over roads. in the South and Dulverton in the North-west; and The AADTT is based on periodic counts on defined road segments having a relatively constant traffic » Increasing demand for deliveries by commercial volume along their lengths. Network and category vehicles, particularly in urban areas. AADTT are derived by averaging the AADTT of road »» Consistent with the above observations, Category traffic segments. 1 roads have had most of the growth in truck use. Main Features »» Truck traffic is greatest on Category 1 roads and grades to least on Category 5 roads and »» Between 2009 and 2013 the volume of truck this is consistent with the parameters used for traffic has been relatively constant. determining road classification. »» In the longer term, between 2003 and 2013 the »» Category 2 roads in rural areas have shown average truck use of the State roads grew by consistent decreases in truck traffic volumes. 8.2% at an annual compound growth rate of 0.8%. »» Category 3, 4 and 5 roads have shown small variations in truck use from year to year. »»Between 2003 and 2013, most of the permanent traffic counters recording decreases in trucks and commercial vehicles were in rural areas while most of the increases were on the Category 1 highways.

STATE OF OUR ROADS 2014 TRAFFIC 7 Traffic Trucks and Commercial Vehicles

Average Truck Traffic by Road Category 1200

1000

800 AADT

400

200

0 1 2 3 4 5 Road Category 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Stanley

Smithton

Marawah Wyny ard Gladstone Bridport BURNIE George Town DEVONPORT Bell Bay Ridgley Scottsdale Ulverstone Beaconsfield Latrobe Lilydale Ringarooma

Railton St Helens Sheffield

Waratah LAUNCESTON Deloraine Savage River St Marys Mole Creek Longford Fingal Corinna Cradle Mountain

Rosebery Poatina Avoca

Melba Siding Zeehan Bicheno Campbell Town Miena Ross Queenstown Derwent Swansea Strahan Bridge

Tarraleah Oatlands

Bothwell

Ouse Triabunna

Hamilton Orford

Campania Pontville Richmond Maydena New Sorell Strathgordon Norfolk HOBART Dunalley Kingston Change in Truck Traffic 2003–13 Huonville Note: King Island and at Permanent Road Counters Nubeena Kettering Flinders Island are not Port Arthur Greater than 20% Increase Geeveston Cygnet shown as they have no 0 to 20% Increase permanent counters

Decrease Alonnah

Southport

STATE OF OUR ROADS 2014 TRAFFIC 8 Age Road Pavement

The road pavement comprises layers of crushed rock Main Features and manufactured materials underlying the surface »» road seal. Roads carrying significant heavy traffic In 2013 the average pavement age was 38 years. are constructed with stronger, thicker pavements to This was an increase in average age of 3 years withstand the increased weight of heavy loads. since 2009. »» New road pavements typically have a design life of 20 Pavement ages show a bipolar distribution with years. Good regular maintenance practices can result peaks at about 50 years of age and another about in an economic life extending to about 40 years for 30 years of age. highly used roads and 60 years for less used roads. »» The older peak coincided with a burst of new Pavements older than their economic life normally road construction in the 1960s, many associated require reconstruction. Without it, the need for more with hydro-electric dam construction. Some regular reactive maintenance increases and becomes of these roads are reaching the end of their inefficient. Reconstruction brings a road back to as- economic lives. new condition and pavement age is reset to that of a »» The other peak coincides with increased road newly constructed road. building and reconstruction during the 1980s. Old pavements in need of reconstruction have poor »» In 2013 the proportion of pavements over 40 user comfort and cause increased wear and tear on years old was 45%, with the proportion over 60 vehicles. years being 8%.

»» Category 1 roads had the lowest average Road Pavement Components pavement age and the decrease in average ROAD SEAL BITUMINOUS WATERPROOF SURFACE age from 2012 to 2013 was largely due to the BASE

PAVEMENT opening of the Brighton Bypass.

SUB BASE »» Category 2 roads had the second lowest average pavement age and the decrease in average age SUBGRADE between 2012 and 2013 was largely due to the opening of the Kingston Bypass.

Pavement Age Profile Pavement Age by Road Category

Length (km) 200 35

30 150 25

Average Construction Age (years) ConstructionAverage 20 100 15

50 5

1 2 3 4 5 Total Road Category 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 80 85 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Age (years) STATE OF OUR ROADS 2014 AGE 9 Age Seal Age By Road Category Road Seal 14

Seal age indicates the time span in years since the last 12 resurfacing. While varying seal types have different life spans, the overall average is about 15 years. Seals on 10

roads with significant heavy traffic will deteriorate faster Age (years) Seal Average 8 than less trafficked roads. Seal age data excludes gravel roads. 6 Main Features 5 »» In 2013 the average seal age was 10 years. 4 »» 21% of the network had a seal age of 15 years or more. 0 »» 6% had a seal age of 20 years or more. 1 2 3 4 5 Total Road Category »» Since 2009 the average seal age has been 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 decreasing because of a program to increase skid resistance. Seal Age Profile »» Since 2009, Category 1 roads have had their seal 350 age fall from 11.2 years old to 7.8 years old and they now have the lowest average seal age. 300 Length (km) »» Category 2 roads had the second lowest average 250 seal age. »» Category 5 roads, those that usually have the 200 lowest level of use, had the oldest average seal age. 150

100

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 Age (years)

STATE OF OUR ROADS 2014 AGE 10 Age Bridges

Bridges are critical pieces of the road network because weight limits on bridges decrease road transport productivity. Closures can have major impacts, especially when there are few alternative routes. When bridges reach the end of their lives they can be particularly costly to replace. Since the 1970s most bridges have been constructed to have an economic life of 100 years. Before the 1970s most steel and concrete bridges have been found to have an average economic life of about 70 years. Some bridges over salt water have shorter lives, for example, the Sorell Causeway Bridge lasted only 40 years. There are 14 bridges which were built before 1900 which are managed as historic bridges. Average Bridge Age by Road Category

60 Main Features »» In recent years the number of bridges over 70 50 years of age has increased by about 10 per year. Average Age Average (years) 40 »» In the next 10 years about 150 additional bridges will become 70 years of age or older, i.e. will become older than the average expected bridge 30 economic life. »» In the last 10 years 22 bridges have been 20 replaced. 10 »» Most of the existing bridges older than 70 years are on Category 3, 4 and 5 roads. 0 »»Six bridges on Category 1 roads are 70 years old 1 2 3 4 5 total or older. Road Category

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

STATE OF OUR ROADS 2014 AGE 11 Age Bridges

Currie

Grassy

Whitemark

Lady Barron

Stanley

Smithton

Marawah Wynyard Gladstone Bridport

BURNIE George Town DEVONPORT Bell Bay Ridgley Scottsdale Beaconsfield Ulverstone Latrobe Lilydale Ringarooma

Railton St Helens Sheffield

Waratah LA UNCESTON Deloraine Savage River St Marys Mole Creek Longford Fingal Corinna Cradle Mountain

Rosebery Avoca Poatina

Melba Siding Bicheno Zeehan Campbell Town

Miena

Ross Queenstown Derwent Swansea Bridge Strahan

Tarraleah Oatlands

Bothwell

Ouse Triabunna

Hamilton Orford

Campania Current Bridge Ages Pontville Richmond (years) 2014 Maydena New Sorell Strathgordon Norfolk

71 to 115 HOBA RT Dunalley Kingston 60 to 70 Huonville

Nubeena Historic Bridges Kettering Port Arthur Geeveston Cygnet

Alonnah

Southport

Bridges 70 Years or More in Age Statewide Bridge Age Profile

45 300 40 250 35

30 200

25 150 30 Number Number 15 100

10 50 5 0 0

1 2 3 4 5 0–9 10–9 20–29 30–39 40–49 50–59 60–69 70–79 80–89 90–99 Road Category >=100

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

STATE OF OUR ROADS 2014 AGE 12 Sealed Roads Road Roughness

Road roughness is a measure of road surface irregularities in the direction of travel. Roughness affects vehicle dynamics, road user costs and ride quality. Increases in roughness may indicate structural deterioration in the road pavement. It is a key indicator of user perception of the ride quality of a road.

Defects contributing to roughness are potholes, Average Roughness by Road Category depressions, uneven patches and deformations. 3.5 Intervention levels for roughness are set by road category, i.e. the highly used Category 1 roads are 3.0 managed to be smoother than other categories. 2.5 Roughness data is collected by laser profiling of the Average Roughness (IRI) Average roads and is measured using a road International 2.0 Roughness Index (IRI). Results of roughness surveys are comparable between 1.5 surveys. 1.0 Surveys exclude roads on King and Flinders Island and gravel roads. 0.5

Main Features 0.0 »» Between 2005 and 2012 the average roughness 1 2 3 4 5 TOTAL of all State road categories has remained relatively Road Category constant. 2005 2007 2008 2010 2012 »» Category 1 roads are the least rough. »» Category 2 roads are the next least rough. »» Category 5 roads are the roughest.

STATE OF OUR ROADS 2014 SEALED ROADS 13 Sealed Roads Road Roughness

Stanley

Smithton

Marawah Wyny ard Gladstone Bridport BURNIE George Town DEVONPORT Bell Bay Ridgley Scottsdale Ulverstone Beaconsfield Latrobe Lilydale Ringarooma

Railton St Helens Sheffield

Waratah LAUNCESTON Deloraine Savage River St Marys Mole Creek Longford Fingal Corinna Cradle Mountain

Rosebery Poatina Avoca

Melba Siding Zeehan Bicheno Campbell Town Miena Ross Queenstown Derwent Swansea Strahan Bridge

Tarraleah Oatlands

Bothwell

Ouse Triabunna

Hamilton Orford

Campania Pontville Richmond Maydena New Sorell Strathgordon Norfolk HOBART Dunalley Kingston Huonville Roughness 2012 Nubeena Kettering High Geeveston Cygnet Port Arthur Medium Low Gravel Roads Alonnah (not tested)

Southport

STATE OF OUR ROADS 2014 SEALED ROADS 14 Sealed Roads Rutting

Rutting is the measure of wheel rutting along the length of the road. It is usually associated with depressions caused by heavy vehicle wheel paths.

Some degree of rutting is normally expected towards the end of the economic life of a road. Rut depth is defined as the maximum gap under a 2.0m straight edge placed across the road pavement.

Rutting data is collected by laser profiling of the road PAVEMENT Tyre surface and averaging along set lengths. RUTTING

Results of rutting surveys are comparable between Vehicle surveys. Load

Surveys exclude gravel roads and roads on King and Rutting After a lot of use the pavement loses Flinders Island. its strength

Main Features Road Seal »» Between 2007 and 2012 the average rutting depth of the network increased from 3.4mm to Base 3.9mm. Sub Base »» All road categories have shown deterioration since 2007 though Category 5 roads showed improvement from 2010 to 2012. Sub Grade »» Category 1 roads, those that carry the highest levels of heavy traffic, have become the most rutted category with an average rut depth of 4.5mm in 2012. »» Category 2 roads had the second deepest average rut depth of 4.4mm in 2012. »» The roads with least rutting were Category 3 and Category 4 roads.

STATE OF OUR ROADS 2014 SEALED ROADS 15 Sealed Roads Rutting

Stanley

Smithton

Marawah Wyny ard Gladstone Bridport BURNIE George Town DEVONPORT Bell Bay Ridgley Scottsdale Beaconsfield Ulverstone Latrobe Lilydale Ringarooma

Railton St Helens Sheffield

Tarraleah Oatlands

Bothwell

Ouse Triabunna

Hamilton Orford

Campania Pontville Richmond Maydena New Sorell Strathgordon Norfolk HOBART Dunalley Kingston Average Rut Depth 2012 Huonville Nubeena High Kettering Geeveston Cygnet Port Arthur Medium Low Alonnah Gravel Roads (not tested) Southport

Average Rutting by Road Category 5.0

4.5

4.0

3.5

Average Rut Depth (mm) Average 3.0

2.5

2.0

1.5

1.0

0.5

0.0 1 2 3 4 5 total Road Category 2007 2008 2010 2012

STATE OF OUR ROADS 2014 SEALED ROADS 16 Sealed Roads Surface Cracking

Cracked road seals allow water to penetrate into the road pavement. Moisture weakens pavement structural strength and may result in rapid pavement deterioration and failure. Early intervention by sealing cracks is an effective maintenance response.

Surface cracking surveys detect cracks of 1mm width or greater. Average Cracking by Road Category Surveys exclude roads on King and Flinders Island. 4.0

Cracking measurements are relatively volatile from 3.5 survey to survey due to improvements in technology. The consequence is that inter-year comparisons 3.0 should be used with caution. 2.5 Within surveys, the comparative level of cracking 2.0 between locations is reasonably reliable and consistent and so measurements are useful for differentiating the 1.5 more cracked from the less cracked segments of CrackingAverage (%) the network. 1.0 Main Features 0.5 0 »» Average cracking across all road categories is low. 1 2 3 4 5 total »» Category 1 roads have the highest average Road Category cracking. 2004 2006 2008 2011 2013 »» Category 2 roads have the lowest average cracking.

STATE OF OUR ROADS 2014 SEALED ROADS 17 Sealed Roads Surface Cracking

Stanley

Smithton

Marawah Wy nyard Gladstone Bridport BURNIE George Town DEVONPORT Bell Bay Ridgley Scottsdale Ulverstone Beaconseld Latrobe Lilydale Ringarooma

Railton St Helens She eld

Tarraleah Oatlands

Bothwell

Ouse Triabunna

Hamilton Orford

Campania Pontville Richmond Maydena New Sorell Strathgordon Norfolk HOBART Dunalley Kingston Huonville

Nubeena Kettering Geeveston Cygnet Port Arthur

Cracking Extent 2013 Alonnah

High Southport Medium Low Gravel Roads (not tested)

STATE OF OUR ROADS 2014 SEALED ROADS 18 Finance Valuation of State Roads

The Department of State Growth values the State roads in terms of the value of its roads, bridges, structures and land under roads and in the road corridors.

The valuation does not include electronic and Main Features intelligent transport systems and non-road »» The replacement value of the State roads is a infrastructure in the road corridor such as power and little less than seven billion dollars telecommunication lines, gas and water supply pipes and rail infrastructure. »» The depreciated value is a little over four billion dollars. Replacement value represents the cost it would take to construct the network, with the same attributes »» The land value represents 9,680 hectares under and in the same locations as the existing one, from roads and within road corridors. scratch. »» The depreciated value for 30 June 2014 represents Over time, vehicles and the environment wear out 19% of the Tasmanian Government’s total assets of roads and bridges. In financial terms, the decrease in just over 21 billion dollars. value is measured by depreciation. The depreciated value represents the replacement value less the depreciation.

State Road Asset Valuation 30 June 2014 Item Replacement Value ($million) Depreciated Value ($million) Road Replacement Value $4,991 $2,645 Bridges and Structures Replacement Value $1,777 $1,238 Land Value $158 $158 Net Valuation $6,927 $4,042

STATE OF OUR ROADS 2014 FINANCE 19 Finance Network Financial Sustainability

For a road network to be sustainable, the capital The State road network in Tasmania has been subject investment in renewal of assets through bridge to an economic environment where the level of replacement, road resealing and road pavement capital investment in renewal of assets has exceeded reconstruction over its economic life should equal depreciation in only two of the last 10 years. With an their depreciation. Capital investment in renewal at a average annual depreciation charge of approximately level lower than consumption, of which depreciation $86 million over the last ten years this has resulted is an indicator, leads to an aging road network that is in cumulative unfunded depreciation totalling $234 poorer in condition and requires increasingly inefficient million. reactive maintenance such as filling potholes, fixing Between 2003-4 and 2013-14 capital investment in patches and sealing cracks. renewal of State road assets has averaged 76% of the Capital investment in renewal does not include level of depreciation. construction of new additional roads or reactive maintenance expenditure.

Network Financial Stability 2003-04 to 2013-14 $900.0

$800.0

$700.0

$600.0

Cumulative Depreciation $500.0 $ MIllion $400.0

$300.0 Cumulating capital expenses on renewal of assets $200.0

$100.0 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14

STATE OF OUR ROADS 2014 FINANCE 20 Contact For further information, contact the Department of State Growth Phone: 1800 753 878 Email: [email protected] Web: www.transport.tas.gov.au